How to Get Your Retinol Fix the Natural Way

Despite many attempts, there's yet to be a skincare ingredient powerful enough to topple retinol off its perch as the greatest skin-improver to ever exist. It's a multitasker. A powerhouse. An anti-ageing champion if you will. The powers held within this vitamin A derivative include (but are not limited to) improved collagen production, reduced sun damage and erased fine lines, and it can also make skin look and feel smoother and more even-toned.

While retinol does exist naturally, most beauty brands tend to scoop the stuff up alongside other synthetic ingredients to improve the effects of the formula at large. But if you're big on natural beauty, it's been tricky thus far to find a retinol serum or moisturiser that fits in with your beauty ethos.

Thankfully, this plight is getting easier. Much easier. As more natural and organic beauty brands spend time and money unlocking the true power of naturally sourced retinoids, even the most saintly of skincare users can experience the true marvel of the ingredient, without lapsing on their beauty standards.

As with all retinol products, careful usage is advised. Apply every other day (rather than daily) to avoid irritation, keep the bottle out of sunlight where it can become unstable, and always, always use alongside plenty of SPF. But you were doing that anyway, right?

Shop the 3 most hardworking natural retinol serums:

The vitamin A in this face oil comes from alfalfa extract, which is also really high in vitamins B, C, D and E. Each has its own individual role, but the vitamins all come together to ease away environmental stress. There's also borage for its fatty acids and geranium for improving skin tone.

Few skincare products reach such industry acclaim as this blend of 22 botanical oils by Vintner's Daughter. It contains everything your skin could ever need, but right at the centre is carrot seed oil—rich in vitamin A, it'll reboot sluggish skin cells.